Contractors, like all small businesses, should have an online presence to make it easier for current and future customers to find them. When you’re a contractor, you typically go to your customers to perform services like plumbing, roofing, or other building repairs. You can’t always rely on a storefront to remind people about your business. Here are 3 reasons why marketing online is an essential for contractors.
1. Your Customers Are Online
According to data from Pew Research, 93% of adults in the United States use the internet. It goes without saying that 93% is a very big number. And, while there is still some value in other forms of marketing, no amount of cold calls or personal references will help you reach that many people.
What are all of those adults doing online? At least 1/3 of them are searching for local businesses every day (Source: Inter-growth). Searches like “plumber near me” or “local contractors” are consistently increasing in popularity. This could lead people to your competitors, or it could lead them to you.
2. Reviews Are In
With such a big group of people finding new services online, they need to know they can trust you with their business. Online reviews carry as much weight for internet users as personal referrals do. People trust people who have utilized your service and they want to hear what those people have to say. Having somewhere that customers can leave a review, like a Facebook page or a Google Business Profile, are essential for drawing new people in to the services you offer.
Reviews aren’t just helpful for customers, though. They can help you, too. Reviews are a great way to hear how your customers felt about the stellar new sink you installed or the funky old lighting fixture that you repaired for them, but they’re also a way for customers to give honest feedback when things don’t go so smoothly. That feedback is one of the best ways for you to evaluate what’s working and improve on what isn’t.
3. You Can be a Steady Presence
Marketing online doesn’t always have to look like marketing. Sometimes the best strategy for letting people know about your business is to just let people know your business exists. With so many people online, and so much content around them, it can be easy for people to forget about your great electrical work or your skills with an HVAC. By having a social media feed that updates regularly and a website with your current contact information, you can remind customers you’re here. Then, when they need help with a new addition to their house or when they have a friend with a plumbing emergency, they’ll think of you first.
Are you ready to claim your digital space?
Finding time to manage your social media and set up your website can be difficult. We can help with that! At Bold River Marketing, we offer services in social media management and web design. Contact us today for help with making your mark online.